| In recent years, the natural resource industry has recognized that 3D visualization and modeling of geoscientific data can increase efficiency in the exploration of natural resources. Several projects have demonstrated the potential of Virtual Environments technology to improve productivity and lower costs in areas such as petroleum exploration and production. Over the last few years, the fields of haptic force-feedback devices and real time sound synthesis have matured sufficiently to allow research into multi-sensory Virtual Environments.; This dissertation describes the development and deployment of a prototype computer system, which integrates haptics (touch) and real-time sonification into 3D, interactive, stereo-graphics to create a multi-sensory Virtual Environment called GDIS (Geoscientific Data Investigation System). GDIS is used to explore and interact with geoscientific data to perceive several overlapping data properties simultaneously via vision, touch and sound. This multi-sensory system has the potential to improve geoscientists' data comprehension while decreasing turn-around time. |
